Spring Message in the Snow – CH 076

Chapter 76

A sudden noise startled Shangrou, and even An’er in the next room was awakened and burst into tears.

Shangrou was both angry and resentful, pounding the bed and saying, “You wicked thief, when will you stop? I am a daughter of a respectable family. I have suffered countless grievances since marrying into your family, and I have always tolerated you. Now you do not even care about the bond between father and son. You know that Ze’an is timid, yet you still smash things like this in the middle of the night. If anything happens to the child, I will fight you to the death!”

Having said that, she got out of bed, slipped on her soft shoes, and was about to go check on An’er when Chen Ang grabbed her wrist first, shaking and shoving her violently. “Tell me,” he said, “did you really let Sheniang go? Ever since she entered the household, you’ve been on good terms with her. You even released her from her indenture a while ago, and this time you sent her away under the pretense of going to Youzhou for a birthday celebration… You are so cunning, scheming to take away all my people!”

Chen Ang was tall and strong, while Shangrou was just a weak woman. She could not withstand his shaking, her hair was disheveled, and she swayed like a withered leaf in the wind.

The nearby Nanny Zhu rushed forward to grab her, shouting, “Master, let’s talk this out! You must not resort to violence… Our lady is precious and cannot be roughed…”

In an instant, chaos erupted. The courtyard was filled with people brought by the Zhang family, and at this moment, their advantage became apparent. Everyone joined in, separating Chen Ang and Shangrou.

Unable to get over the wall of people, Chen Ang jumped up and shouted, “Is this some kind of rebellion? When did my Marquis’s Mansion become the domain of your Zhang family?!”

Shangrou trembled with anger. Her wrist, which he had gripped so tightly, quickly showed bruises. Finally, she laughed bitterly. “My Lord, there’s no need for this show. If you want more women, just go ahead and add them. Everyone knows you, the Marquis’s son, have three wives and four concubines, living a more carefree life than the Emperor. Now the courtyard is empty. What’s the big deal about one concubine running away? If she goes, there will be plenty of others to serve you. Does My Lord worry about not having servants?”

Her words struck a nerve with him. Although they were all true, they were undeniably harsh to say. Chen Ang could be despicable in his actions, but strangely, he was very concerned with his reputation. The saying goes, “Do not hit someone in the face.” If you threw words in his face, then his anger and embarrassment had a legitimate reason to retaliate.

Emboldened by alcohol, he jumped three feet high, shouting, “Which wealthy family does not have three wives and four concubines? Why can you not tolerate it?”

Nanny Ye, standing nearby, could not stand it anymore and frowned, saying, “My Lord, to be fair, after Pan’er died, only Nian’er remained. It was our mistress who worried you’d have no one to serve you, so she gave you four or five more. Later, these women made mistakes and were dismissed, and our mistress’s money all went down the drain. That was her personal savings from her family; she did not touch a single penny of your manor’s property. Now, it’s our mistress who has lost both her money and her husband’s maid. My Lord, you must be fair. Our mistress is, after all, the eldest daughter of the Zhang family’s main branch. You’ve treated her so badly, and today you even hit her. If the news gets back to the Zhang family, I am afraid you will not be able to explain it to them.”

Nanny Ye was, after all, quite old and the most senior among the Zhang family’s servants. She usually managed the maids and servants and did not interfere much in the affairs of the mistress’s quarters. This time, Chen Ang had gone too far; even she could not stand it anymore. A few words, delivered with force, suppressed Chen Ang’s arrogance.

Chen Ang, embarrassed, had been holding back his anger for days, but because the Zhang family members in the courtyard were numerous and powerful, he had no choice but to give in. However, he was still indignant, pointing angrily at Shangrou and saying, “Why does your husband not like you? Reflect on yourself! You are boring and unromantic, like a living dead person; just seeing you brings bad luck!”

After saying this, he stumbled out, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Nanny Zhu quickly said, “Alright, everyone, go back and rest,” and dismissed them all.

Over there, An’er had stopped crying and must be asleep. Shangrou sat blankly under the lamp, muttering, “I am boring and unromantic, like a living dead person; my husband does not like me…”

Nanny Ye said, “Why does Madam listen to him? People have different levels of character. If it were a learned young man, Madam’s temperament would be the qualities of a virtuous wife in his eyes. Why does the Marquis not like her? Because he only fancies wanton women, full of seductive tricks to please men. Madam cannot learn those tricks, so naturally, you and he are incompatible.”

These words were like a wake-up call. She was indeed not suitable for him. She despised what he indulged in, and he disdained what she liked. They were never on the same wavelength, so why force themselves to be together?

Slowly letting out a sigh of relief, Shangrou composed herself and turned to Nanny Zhu, saying, “I heard he’s been getting very close to Yan, the head courtesan of Qin Tower, lately, and Prince Dai’s son is also one of her lovers. Last time I accompanied my mother-in-law to Princess of Qin’s banquet, I overheard them talking about how Prince Dai’s son is having a major falling out with his family and wants to redeem Yan. Unfortunately, his wife will not agree with him, and Princess of Qin has also scolded him harshly. Prince Dai’s son is heartbroken and still has not gotten his wish.”

Before she finished speaking, Nanny Zhu had already understood. “Rumor has it that the young master of the Dai family is a notorious womanizer, indulging in all sorts of vices. He almost got into a murder case over a courtesan the other day.” He chuckled. “It’s late, Madam; please sleep well. Tomorrow, send someone out to find out how Head Courtesan Yan is doing.”

The next day, the capable servant entered the brothel. He immediately launched into a frantic inquiry, asking if Head Courtesan Yan had booked the entire place, as his young master wanted to redeem her, and inquired about the price and whether there was any room for negotiation.

The madame of the brothel was quite surprised. “Whose family are you? Are you sent by the Prince of Dai’s mansion?”

The servant shook his head. “Not the Prince’s mansion, but the Marquis’s. I work for the young master of Xingyang. Our young master is an old acquaintance of the courtesan, and he cannot bear to see her wandering in the brothels. He wishes to redeem her. Please, madame, tell us your price so we can raise the funds.”

There were quite a few people present, including patrons who frequented the brothels during the day. Upon hearing this, they immediately began whispering amongst themselves. Everyone knew of the relationship between the courtesan and Prince Dai’s son. Now, the young master of Xingyang wanted to redeem her—this was clearly a blatant provocation. Chen Ang’s reputation among courtesans was already well-known throughout the capital’s pleasure quarters. Everyone knew he had a generous wife, and it was not unreasonable for him to have taken a liking to the courtesan and be willing to pay to steal her away.

As for the madame of the brothel, besides being wary of the Prince Dai’s son, she also had to consider her income. Prince Dai’s son had been arguing with his family for three months, but still could not bring the girl back. Now that another family had shown interest, they could both urge Prince Dai’s son to relent and negotiate a better price.

“How about… we talk in the private room?” The madame, all smiles, invited them into the private room. Even if they could not reach an agreement for Head Courtesan Yan, there was still Head Courtesan Qian and Second Mistress Hu.

How the onlookers spread the word was unknown, but the news quickly reached the ears of Prince Dai’s son. The man was incredibly jealous; he slammed his hand on the table, sending a teacup flying, and spat out through gritted teeth, “That Chen Ang, he’s asking for death!”

The messenger added fuel to the fire: “The price is almost settled. He is giving the madame whatever she wants; he said he’d sell the house and land if it was not enough. He’s determined to get her this time. Do you remember that ‘One-Foot Bai Jiang’s Wife? Did she not also steal food from Seventh Master Yang’s bowl and take her home?”

Prince Dai’s son sneered through gritted teeth, “I am not that useless Seventh Master Yang. He thinks he can steal my woman? He probably does not know the meaning of death.”

Two nights later, Chen Ang emerged from the Barbarian King’s Garden only to be dragged to a secluded corner by a group of unknown people and beaten to a pulp.

At the time, Helian Song was hosting a banquet to thank several close colleagues. Because there were so many guests on his wedding day, he had to run between his home and the restaurant and inevitably neglected his distinguished guests. Therefore, he was offering them a cup of wine today to make up for any shortcomings in etiquette.

After the banquet, he went out to see off his guests and was heading home when, as he turned a corner, he heard muffled thuds of flesh being punched. Listening closely, the groans and cries for mercy sounded somewhat familiar, so he had the carriage stopped and went to investigate.

The people beating him were engrossed in the act, oblivious to the presence of onlookers. The attendant who was sent out peeked through the legs for a long time, finally recognizing the face of the one who had been beaten. Though his features were dark and grotesque, he could still make out the features. He returned and reported, “Master, go and see! It’s the young master of Xingyang.”

The person in the carriage remained unmoved. Instead, he lowered the curtain and ordered, “Go to the Liang residence. I heard the newly made milk cakes and spring cocoons with sugar-coated filling are delicious. Bring back two boxes for the Princess to try.”

The carriage slowly drove away. Deep within the alley, fists and kicks raged. Outside, the alley was brightly lit—a bustling night market in the capital.

Almost unconscious from the beating, Chen Ang mustered his strength and pushed away his attackers one last time. He knew that if he could not escape this time, he might not survive the night.

Terror, despair, panic… He had never longed to go home so much, never hated this decadent world so much. Previously, because of his status as the son of a marquis, he was treated with deference wherever he went, and people would fawn over him. He thrived, feeling invincible. What had happened now? Did these people not know his background? Clearly not. They were certain they knew him; they had even verified his identity before the fight. When he smugly admitted he was indeed the son of the Marquis of Xingyang, he was met with a hail of punches.

His servant had already been knocked to the side, beyond help. He staggered backward, leaning against the wall, his eyes swollen shut, barely able to open a slit. A torrent of blood, salty and foul-smelling, gushed from his mouth.

Each step required all his strength, yet these people followed him leisurely, like cats toying with mice, smirking with amusement, as if betting on how many more steps he could take.

“Tsk tsk!” someone scoffed. “This guy has not had a bad life. He’s slept with so many women, at least thirty or fifty; that’s more than enough.”

“It’s all because of that wicked man. I say castrating him would be the end of it, and everyone could live in peace.”

Others disagreed. “He’s related to the Heir Apparent by marriage. If they trace it back to us, things will get really bad.”

Some even laughed loudly. “Without his manhood, how can he be considered related? Who is the Heir Apparent? Why would he be related to him?”

Chen Ang was terrified. Just hearing their discussion sent a chill down his spine.

Unfortunately, he could not move quickly. Like a child playing with ants trapped in a jar, he could not escape their grasp, no matter how hard he tried.

Finally, someone lost patience. “Hurry up and deal with him. Let’s go have a couple of drinks.”

Then came the sound of a club cutting through the air, followed by a “whoosh” as it struck the back of his neck.

A sharp pain—a very brief pain—followed by a blackout, and then he knew nothing more.

When he awoke, he was already home. Someone was wiping the blood from his face with a damp towel. The women in the family were crying loudly, Shangrou’s voice especially high-pitched, indistinguishable from a shout, clamoring, “My Lord, what happened to you… Who could be so cruel as to beat you like this…?”

Marquis Chen was furious. “Report to the authorities! Report to the authorities immediately!”

The hurried footsteps in the corridor faded into the distance. Chen Ang’s eyes were swollen and completely closed. Strangely, apart from a splitting headache, he felt no other discomfort.

He felt as if he were bound, only heavy, unable to break free, and unable to speak. He could only let out a long moan to let them know he was awake.

Everyone was stunned, then quickly said, “It’s alright, it’s alright, he’s finally awake.” They had thought he might not escape death that night, after all, when he was carried back, he was a bloody mess, barely recognizable as human. Now that he was conscious, his injuries could heal with rest. At most, he should not go out for a while. Not letting him roam freely for so long was not a bad thing; it would improve his temper.

Madam Chen hurriedly asked the physician, “How are his injuries? How long will it take to heal? Quickly prescribe a medicine so someone can get it immediately.”

The physician’s expression was complicated. After a long silence, he said, “Getting the medicine is not urgent. Now that the young master is awake, allow me to ask him a few questions.” As he spoke, he grasped Chen Ang’s hand and leaned closer, saying, “If the young master can hear me, move your fingers.”

Everyone stared nervously at the hand, but after waiting for a long time, there was no response.

The physician placed his hand on the young man’s leg again. “Young master, move your leg a little, just a slight movement.”

Unfortunately, there was no movement at all. Everyone exchanged bewildered glances. Marquis Chen asked anxiously, “What does this mean? Is it because he has suffered a serious injury and is weak in his limbs? Will he recover in a couple of days?”

The physician glanced at Marquis Chen silently, then took his pulse. After a long pause, he called out, “Your Highness, your young master’s injuries are probably not that simple.”

Madam Chen’s face paled. She pressed, “What exactly happened? Physician, please explain clearly.”

The physician had no choice but to lay out his suspicions. After a moment’s thought, he said, “While the injuries on your young master’s body appear serious, they are mostly superficial. Although there is some dislocation of the bones, it will not be life-threatening or affect his future mobility. I have examined him carefully, and the most serious problem is a severe injury to his neck, which has caused him to lose sensation below the neck…”

Losing consciousness was no good. Shangrou’s tears froze in her eyes as she listened intently to the physician’s explanation, word by word. When the physician said that intense pain might awaken his consciousness, she turned and took a pair of scissors from the table, offering them respectfully to Marquis Chen. “Father, please try.”

Although Marquis Chen often scolded Chen Ang, deep down, he still doted on his son. With the gleaming scissors placed before him, he dared not touch them, nor dared take them. Shangrou glanced at her mother-in-law; Madam Chen was already weeping uncontrollably. How could she possibly test it? Her two younger sisters-in-law were too young; it was even less their turn. After considering everything, she decided to do it herself.

Suppressing her excitement, she stepped forward, examining his bruised and swollen face, still vaguely recognizing a resemblance to Chen Ang. She held the scissors and gently pricked his arm; the result, of course, was no reaction.

The physician encouraged her, saying, “Young Madam, try harder. Make him feel pain; that’s how we will test if he has any feeling.”

Shangrou gripped the scissors tightly, this time stabbing hard. She could feel the sharp tip pierce his skin, sinking deep into his flesh. She panicked slightly, looking up at him; he did not even flinch. She burst into tears, unsure whether it was sadness or joy, large tears streaming down her face, soaking her clothes.

The room was filled with the sound of weeping, as if someone had died. Madam Chen covered her face. “My son… my son, how did he become like this? He was perfectly fine. Is he going to be bedridden for the rest of his life?!”

Marquis Chen, his eyes red with tears, rushed to the physician, pleading, “Is there any hope? Physician, please, even the slightest hope, help him!”

Of course, a physician with a parent’s heart would not give a definitive answer. The physician said, “Let’s try some more treatment. It seems he has a broken neck. After some rest, we can try acupuncture and bone setting; perhaps there’s still hope for him to regain sensation. But I cannot guarantee anything. My medical skills are insufficient. Your Highness, you can find a more skilled physician to examine your son. If there’s another way, that would be a blessing in disguise.” He then ground ink and wrote a prescription, initially only prescribing medicine to soothe the nerves, improve blood circulation, and remove blood stasis. After giving a few more instructions, he bowed and took his leave.

Marquis Chen was heartbroken. Looking at his weeping family and then at his son lying in bed, his heart ached with hatred.

“How many times have I told you? Stay away from those brothels, study hard at home, and pass the imperial examinations! If you had listened to me even once, you would not be in this mess!”

Madam Chen, who could not tolerate her husband blaming her son, immediately retorted with a sob, “What time is this? Why are you still talking about this? Quickly find a way to get Chief Physician Song to treat him!”

Marquis Chen, already resentful of his spoiled son, was even more enraged by her raised voice. “It’s all your fault for spoiling him! Spoiling a child is like killing him! You deserve a lot of credit for his current state!”

Madam Chen, naturally unwilling to accept her husband’s blame, redirected her anger, glaring resentfully at Shangrou. “Why does he always linger outside and not come home? Is it not because no one at home cares about him? People say a virtuous wife brings less trouble to her husband, and Chengchuan is not lucky enough to marry such a considerate wife. She spends all her time at home pretending to be a high-society lady, not knowing how to please her husband at all. Does she expect him not to run away instead of staying home with a cold, lifeless stone?!” she wailed, throwing herself onto Chen Ang’s bedside. “My son, who harmed you? Your father and mother will tear those thieves to pieces and avenge you…”

Meanwhile, the servant who had reported to the authorities quickly brought back the people from the county yamen. Marquis Chen hurriedly went out to discuss the case. Outside, Nanny Ye came in from the corridor and reported, “An’er seems to know his father is in danger. He’s crying in his room, and we cannot comfort him. Young Madam, please go and see him.”

Shangrou nodded, wiping her tears, and said to her mother-in-law, “Mother, thank you for taking care of my husband. I will go see Ze’an first.”

Madam Chen did not even turn her head, and Shangrou did not wait for her reply either, lifting her skirt and stepping out the door.

The night was deep, the air cool and refreshing. The enormous full moon illuminated the world as bright as day. She turned her head to look at her shadow cast on the flower wall. Even her profile was graceful, her waist supple. She was still young; why had she lived such a life before, devoid of any semblance of humanity?

Back in her room, An’er slept soundly. It was Nanny Ye who had deliberately used the child to pull her out of the chaos inside.

She stood before the cradle, gazing at the child’s innocent sleeping face for a long while before finally returning to her inner chamber. There were no outsiders there, only Nanny Zhu and Nanny Ye. She finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, “He can no longer tarnish my reputation, nor will he ruin the child’s future. That’s good!”